Although I'd only planned on staying for quick beer and a brief chat, I wound up spending two hours sitting on a bar stool at Divine Bar and Grill on Broadway and Stockton, drinking pints of Budweiser, chatting with the staff, and watching some serious pool go down. The exceptionally friendly bartender had warned me: this pool league gets intense. And oh I got sucked in fast. The small space was filled to the brim with competitive tension, and the brows of sexy men furrowed with concentration as they considered their next move on the pool table. Divine participates in a pool league, and there are competitive games there several days a week. Even if you suck at pool, and maybe especially if you do, it is surprisingly extremely fun to watch people be very, very good at it.

And you get someone to root for, because the owners of Divine have their own team!

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Maybe you're ready for the league, but maybe you need a little practice. Come by on Thursdays when they offer free pool AND $3 margaritas. Yes, you heard me, THREE DOLLAR MARGARITAS. And $6 mojitos, if you're in the mood for something a little more minty. Just don't down too many of those margs or you'll never improve your pool-ing skills.

Divine also offers hookah, in a variety of flavors. Pro tip: ask for them to mix two of the flavors. They don't advertise that option, but a subtle combo is the best way to go.

Come on a Thursday, get that hookah head rush going and some marg-a-tipsy on, and then hone your cue handling skills with a gaggle of experts.

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And Divine is such a humble bar! For a small, quiet space, they've really got everything: six or seven beers on tap, bar food (wings, chicken fingers, quesadillas), a pool table, cocktails designed by an expert, totally down to earth and friendly staff, lots of TVs (Sunday night football!) and an adorable backyard that positively glistens in the moonlight.

Happy Hour runs from 4 to 7 PM every night, and they have one of those punching bag games, so if you lose at pool you can get some of your frustration out in a healthy way.

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Although Divine's been open for awhile, some new owners took the place over in the last couple years, and they've been steadily working on rebuilding their reputation and decking the bar out with fun amenities. It's a super friendly neighborhood bar with an awesome crowd, and you won't be disappointed by their drink specials or their vibe. Go get yo' marg on and play some pool!